Advice starting out? And Save Problem

[SoulBlazer]

Just got the game and I'm enjoying it a lot, but frustrated at what is happening to me.

I'm trying the Americans in the 1775-1783 sec. When the game starts, I move reinforcements into the Contiental Army outside of Boston. I leave the army alone, not moving into the city or taking off defensive.

The second month, the British sorty outside of the city and crush my army, but good. Not really historic.

And if I try to move the army to another closeby city, like Providnece, I can defeat the British force that attacks but suddenly another month later a SECOND British army shows up behind my lines. leure:

What the heck is the best thing to do with the Americans at the start here to force the British to leave Boston or defeat them, and not have them break out into the rest of New England?

Also, having a issue with the save games. There seems to be a autosave option that goes right over my manual saves -- even if I change the game name. So I can't go back to a previous turn if something happens.

Help!

[Pocus]

I will let the players give you some advices, some are rather veterans now

As for the save games: If you ctrl-click on the save button (top right) your game can be renamed to another one. This create a copy that you can use in case of need.
Also in the save directory, all your save games generate up to 12 backups directory so that you can manually restore your turn. But this is a bad habit! Play with a lower difficulty level instead...

[Ardie]

Soulblazer,

Check the older threads as they have lots of information how to start the campaign. In fact all the newcomers should do just that first.

If you play the 1775-83 Grand Campaign (my fav) you'll need to agressive with the rebels. Think and plan. Assign leaders, regiments and supply to different theaters (north, middle, south).

Some quick hints:

1. Try to destroy Gage's Boston Army and the REF (Howe) as this frees New England. The English will lose the harbor and you'll have until spring of '76 to achieve this.

2. Conquer Norfolk, VA. This takes out the Tory stronghold in Virginia and denies a landing site from the Brits.

3. Cornwallis' invasion of the south (March '76) opens up a new can of worms. Hold Charleston, Savannah (if you're lucky use Moultrie's troops to harass the tories in SC, Georgia), Charlotte, Hillsboro. After taking out Norfolk, bring rebel forces to the southern theater to block Cornwallis.

4. In the north, hold Albany, the forts around it, NYC, Boston (if you have defeated the brits) but don't overcommit yourself and do not invade Canada.

5. Washy, Wayne and von Steuben are training officers so they can train the militias and the continentals so they won't leave the army when January comes.

6. Use the leaders to your advantage, do not ignore the command points, have a fast mover, a cavalryman, a militiaman, charismatic leaders and a siege/artillery experts with your armies. Send patriotic leaders (Greene, Sumter) where you'll need additional new regiments.

If you can survive 75-77, you'll be on your way to victory (however it's not written in stone as the AI has no mercy).

[SoulBlazer]

Thank you for the advice, guys.

I'll check out the older threads, but your first point goes back to my orginal problem....how do I take out the Brits in Boston? As I said, if I leave the Contiental Army outside of Boston, the Brits attack me and crush it, and force me away with heavy losses. Not historical at all. And if I move the army to guard critical cities, they just invade other parts of New England. Frustrating, to say the least.

[Pocus]

The patch, which is due soon (we need the beta to check it before though) have a fix on that, as some PBEM players found that it was a bit too easy for the English player to kill the initial army.
So the initial english army is fixed 1-2 turns (I don't remember exactly, PhilThib can give you more details on scenarios modifications).

[Sandra]

As for the save games: If you ctrl-click on the save button (top right) your game can be renamed to another one. This create a copy that you can use in case of need.

Et cette save n'est pas écrasée par la sauvegarde automatique ensuite ? (désolée si j'ai loupé un épisode)

Also in the save directory, all your save games generate up to 12 backups directory so that you can manually restore your turn. But this is a bad habit! Play with a lower difficulty level instead...

Personne n'est à l'abri d'une mauvaise manip ou d'un simple oubli. Et tout le monde n'aime pas jouer avec la règle "homme de fer".
S'il n'y a pas d'autre moyen de restaurer une partie, je pense que dans la loooongue liste des choses à faire la révision du système de sauvegarde pourrait être en bonne place.


(sorry for not writing in english, no time !!)

[Pocus]

If you ctrl-click, this duplicate the save game with another name. If you want to replay from a previous turn, just use the copy.

[Robin]

But this is a bad habit! Play with a lower difficulty level instead...

Pocus, in my opinion, there are no good or bad habits in the way each gamer wants to play with his game.
In my case, I'd prefer to have a better save system than the actual and you know it. But I can admit that some gamers appreciate to play with iron man Rules like sandra tell it in this thread.
No obligations but pure pleasure...

[Pocus]

This is why you have 2 methods for restoring older save games (contrary to Dominions, a game that you play much if I recall well...)

[Robin]

Yes, I ve played a lot with Dominions, but I was angry almost eacht time because of it save system...
But, Luckily, the game was very good and I found the force to continue to play with it.
And I'm happy that our goal, at Ageod, is to do "better" and no "like" all our preferate past games.

[Le Ricain]

SoulBlazer,

Back to your original question. I am currently playing the Americans in the AWI CG. In the first month I withdrew the Continental Army to Worcester. There it was allowed to build up and train unmolested by the Boston British armies. Basing army at Worcester allows to respond to threats as the British land or invade NE provinces. However, be very careful about responding to British moves into provinces east of and including Providence. The British armies in Boston will spring the trap and hit hard at the American force responding or the weakened army remaining in Worcester. Make sure that you have a safe exit path back.

In my game, upon the arrival of the French in '78, the British army evacuated Boston and withdrew back to Canada.

Hope that this helps.

[Frank E]

Your best bet as the Americans is to pull back a bit from Boston in '75. Once you do the british will split up a bit to conquer the undefended provinces. Moving back gives Washington a few turns of training while the brits start to spread out and then you can start conducting strikes against some of the smaller british formations. Once you whittle those down a bit, you can turn on Howe and try to eliminate him before the '76 reinforcements arrive.

As for the save games, lets just say that I haven't given up trying to convince Pocus to go for a somewhat more traditional implementation.

[Killjoy12]

I'm having some trouble with tactics as well. Any general advice on how to win? Secure local towns first, then move on to the cities?

I'm a little confused with approaching the strategy of winning.

[MarkShot]

Here you go:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=1098